Spring spigot shut off for now

Updated 11:20 pm, Sunday, March 20, 2011

Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS

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University at Albany students celebrate 2010 Fountain Day on a cool Sunday, April 25, 2010, in the college fountain in the center of campus near the Student Center in Albany. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

University at Albany students celebrate 2010 Fountain Day on a cool Sunday, April 25, 2010, in the college fountain in the center of campus near the Student Center in Albany. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS

Spring spigot shut off for now

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ALBANY -- Bathing suits, barbecues and lots of water are traditionally a big part of Fountain Day, the University at Albany's annual celebration of spring.

But the campus' main fountain won't be flowing this year. UAlbany announced Sunday that it is suspending the April 10 celebration in response to the pre-St. Patrick's Day riot that yielded charges for more than 40 students.

The move is intended to protect UAlbany's reputation, school President George Philip wrote in an e-mail to students.

"I regret that this action will punish students who had no role in the disturbing events of March 12," he continued. "But the need to proactively respond and to uphold our reputation has never been greater."

"While Fountain Day continues to be a source of school pride, there remains a contingent of students who use this day as an excuse to promote excessive alcohol consumption that compromises everyone's safety," he wrote.

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More than 40 students have been charged in connection with the "kegs and eggs" mayhem that erupted in a section of Pine Hills on March 12. The incident cost the city at least $12,000 to clean up, slightly injured two police officers and provoked ire among city and university officials and prosecutors.

In another attempt to mitigate the damage, UAlbany announced Friday that it would move next year's spring vacation up a month to coincide with St. Patrick's Day.

Students received the Fountain Day announcement with disappointment.

"It was really a school spirit day, and now it's being taken away," said Sophonie Excellent, 19, a sophomore who had been looking forward to the event since last year's.

Delfine Kernizan, 19, a sophomore majoring in journalism and communications, called the "kegs and eggs" rioters "selfish."

"At the time they weren't thinking about how it would affect the entire school," she said.

Even if Fountain Day is not suspended next year, it could be a while before the water flows again. The campus' main fountain is scheduled to undergo major reconstruction next year and is not expected to fully operate again until spring 2014, according to UAlbany.

"Throughout the year you hear people talking about it and looking forward to it," Kernizan said. "Just as we get closer, for them to cancel it is really sad."